The Secret
by Lingua Dii
Summary: Kenny can't keep his secret any longer. He has to tell Kyle. Rated T for language. Sorry for the monumental delay.
1. Chapter 1

This is sort of an introductory chapter. Consider it a prologue, if you'd like. I don't, though. I'm only mentioning this because a reviewer once pointed out that the first chapter in another story didn't match its summary.

* * *

It was only a handful of years ago that Kenny professed his love to Kyle. Although Kenny practiced for months on how to approach the issue with Kyle, the boy's reaction had remained a mystery until he actually went forward with his plans.

* * *

**FIVE YEARS AGO**

Kenny approached his friend during recess. He dragged him to a relatively empty part of the school and tried to psyche himself up.

"Come on Kenny... You can do this. You can do this."

Kenny repeated the words he wanted to say in his mind for a long time while staring at the ground, leaving Kyle to wonder why he had called him away if he didn't want to say anything. Kenny began to shake slightly, so Kyle put his hand on Kenny's shoulder.

"Kenny?" Kyle said.

The blond boy immediately turned his bright blue eyes toward his friend, who smiled.

"I like you." Kenny whispered.  
"What?" Kyle asked, honestly not having understood what Kenny said.  
"I like you." Kenny repeated slightly louder and much faster.  
"I... What?" Kyle asked again, smiling awkwardly.  
"I said I like you." Kenny said as clearly as he could.

Kyle had a mixed reaction. He gasped as if he didn't expect it, yet, judging from his face, he was calm and at ease with the situation. Once Kenny awkwardly moved on to asking how Kyle felt about him, that calmness vanished. He became angry and confused, as if he was unsure – or perhaps afraid – of the answer. Just as Kyle was about to say something, the bell rang. Kyle looked at Kenny for several seconds until he walked away.

"Kyle..."

* * *

**PRESENT**

Kenny never approached the topic from that point on – at least not directly. The boys' unspoken agreement was to not let it run their lives and not to mention it to anyone; an agreement they both disregarded. Kenny disregarded the former and tried over the years to show his love for Kyle, though in ways only Kyle would understand, while Kyle spoke of it fairly regularly to Stan.  
It was during one of the longer complaint sessions at the school that Stan decided to finally give Kyle a piece of his mind.

"-right? Stan?... Stan?"  
"Yeah... Sure..."  
"You OK?"  
"No, Kyle. Wanna know why?"  
"Um... Y-"  
"It's because for almost **five fucking years** I've heard you complain about Kenny nearly **every single goddamned day**. And I'm **sick** of it."  
"I-I..."  
"You **never** give a **shit** about how other people feel or what they think. I'm **done** with this **crap**. Either tell him you don't like him or **stop bitching** about it."  
"I'm sorry..."  
"Yeah, that's what you always say."

Stan walked away from Kyle and toward Kenny and Cartman. Kyle looked at Kenny just long enough for the blond to notice him. Kenny smiled warmly and signaled for Kyle to come join them, which he did, albeit reluctantly. Stan didn't even look at him or react in any way once he arrived. The boys stood in silence, with Kenny glancing at Kyle every few seconds and Stan ignoring Kyle, all while Kyle stared at the ground in shame and regret, until Cartman broke the silence.

"So... Any of you guys wanna play the new Terrence and Phillip game?"  
"There's a new one?" Kenny asked excitedly.  
"Only out in Canada so far... And I have a copy at my place."  
"Why is it only out in Canada? And how do **you** have a copy?"  
"Kyle, don't sweat the details."

"In other words, you're lying." Kyle thought."You're probably gonna try to get us to do your homework or whatever."

* * *

Little did Kyle know that Cartman was telling the truth for once... for the most part. He had neglected to mention that there was only one controller for his console, as the other was broken.

"Something you forgot to mention, Cartman?" Kyle asked angrily.  
"I totally forgot that one wasn't working... Sorry!" Cartman replied as he played.  
"And corded controllers? I didn't even know they still made these!"  
"Do **you** want to lose when the battery dies? Or to have shorter-than-your-dick ranges that provide no comfort whatsoever?"  
"Whatever..."

Kyle got up from the couch and grabbed the broken controller.

"Do you have any tools?"  
"Sure. Why? Think you can fix it?"  
"I'll try." Kyle sighed.  
"Great!" Cartman replied as he paused the game. "I'll show you to the tools."

Cartman got up and carelessly tossed the only working controller where he was sitting, before leaving to accompany Kyle to the tools' location. Kenny and Stan looked at the controller, then at each other.

"Wanna play?" Stan asked.  
"It's fine if you go first. I can wait."  
"Alright... If you say so."

Stan picked up the controller and unpaused the game. Kenny looked at where Kyle and Cartman had gone and imagined what they were talking about.

* * *

In the Cartmans' backyard, Kyle and Cartman headed into the tool shed and looked for whatever tools Kyle thought would be useful.

"Screwdriver?" Cartman asked.  
"Duh. How else am I gonna open it?"

While Kyle unscrewed the controller, a thought popped into his head.

"_How the fuck am I gonna know what's normal and what's not? I need something to compare it to._"

"Cartman, could you do me a favor?"  
"Um... Depends on what you want."  
"I need the working controller so I can figure out what's broken."  
"Alright. I'll get it."

* * *

Cartman arrived and found Stan still playing the game, while Kenny watched. Although Kenny was staring at the screen, Stan, and even Cartman, could tell his mind was elsewhere.

"Guys, I'm gonna need one of you to take that controller to Kyle. He's out back."  
"Why?" Stan asked as he paused the game.  
"He says he needs it to compare them or something... Figure out what's broken."  
"I got that; I meant why **us**?"  
"You think **I'm** going to walk back and forth to get Kyle everything he wants?"  
"Well, **I'm** certainly not going."  
"I'll do it." Kenny said.

Stan and Cartman stared at Kenny in surprise.

"Didn't even know you were paying attention." Cartman replied.  
"Kenny, are you sure? I mean... You and-"

Stan looked at Cartman, thought about what he was going to say, and changed it.

"Um... If you don't mind, I'd be OK with that."

While Kenny picked up the controller and headed for the tool shed, Cartman wondered what Stan was about to say. He looked at Stan, who immediately turned his head and pretended he didn't know what the fat boy was thinking.

* * *

Kenny arrived at the tool shed in a few seconds. Kyle heard him and, thinking it was Cartman, spoke to him before confirming his identity.

"Hey, Cartman. Give me that... that... Um... Kenny?"  
"Yeah!" Kenny replied with a smile. "Cartman got lazy and Stan didn't want to go, so **I** came here instead."

"_Great._" Kyle thought. "_Well, let's get this over with._"

Kenny excitedly handed the controller to Kyle and watched him work. First, Kyle unscrewed the working controller. He looked at both it and the broken one, checking every part he could identify. After several minutes of staring at the controllers, Kyle announced defeat with a weary sigh.

"I have no idea what's wrong with it. It seems perfectly normal."  
"I'd suggest it's the battery, but, as you pointed out earlier, there's no battery."  
"Yeah... but... the **wires** might be cut somewhere I can't see. Find me a knife."  
"Are you sure Cartman won't mind cutting open his controller's cord?"  
"Do you really care?"  
"I guess not..."  
"Great! Hand me a knife."

Kenny reached for his pocket and handed Kyle his switchblade.

"Do you **always** carry that?"  
"Yup."  
"What for?"  
"Protection. What else?"  
"Right... Well, I guess this'll do."

Kyle reached for the switchblade and quickly removed it from Kenny's hand. The proximity allowed Kenny to realize just how small his friend's hands were, compared to his own. When they were kids, Kenny, Kyle, Stan, and Cartman were approximately the same height, but it changed over the years. Kenny became the tallest, followed by Stan, Kyle, and Cartman. In Kenny's eyes, Kyle's short stature only made him cuter. He often imagined what it would be like to pick Kyle up in his arms. It made him happy to imagine a relationship with Kyle, even if the real thing seemed impossibly far away.

"Kenny? Kenny?"  
"Hm?"  
"You OK?"  
"Sorry; I was... daydreaming."  
"About what?"  
"...You don't want to know. So, how's the controller?"  
"It should be working now. I found a wire in the cord that wasn't connected properly."  
"Really? How'd you fix it?"  
"Duct tape. How else?"  
"Right..."

Kyle screwed in both controllers and started making his way toward the exit, but stopped mid-way.

"Kenny..." Kyle said with his back facing Kenny.  
"Yeah?"  
"I..." Kyle added as he turned around. "I wanted to talk to you about something."  
"What's that?" Kenny asked, truly not understanding what was on his friend's mind.  
"You know... **that**."  
"Oh... What did you want to tell me?"

In spite of his past experience with Kyle – or perhaps because of it – Kenny's heart began to race. He pictured Kyle confessing his love to him over and over again. He imagined kissing Kyle for the very first time and finally being able to hold him in his arms. A voice in his head told him he was wrong, yet he couldn't help but be excited by the thought.

"I... I just..."  
"Yeah?"  
"I need it to stop, Kenny."

Kenny could almost hear his hopes and desires shattering. He looked at Kyle with tears in his eyes and spoke to him in the saddest voice he could muster, sobbing uncontrollably.

"W-What? W-Why? It's not like-"  
"I just can't take it anymore, Kenny. You like me. I get it. I don't need constant reminders every single day."  
"B-But-"  
"I'm sorry, Kenny."

Cartman, having grown tired of waiting to play his game, approached the shed.

"What's taking so long, Kyle?"  
"I'm done. Let's go."

Cartman turned his gaze toward Kenny and saw him with fat tears rolling down his cheeks.

"What's wrong with him?"  
"Nothing."  
"Did **you** make him cry?"  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
"Way to go, Kyle! Didn't know you had it in ya."  
"I said I don't want to talk about it!"  
"Jeez, Kyle. Stop being such a pussy."

"_Fucking fatass..._"

Kyle and Cartman went back into Cartman's house, but Kyle still looked back on his friend he had left in tears and felt a deep sense of regret.

"_Kenny... I'm sorry._"

* * *

After several minutes of weeping and sobbing, Kenny finally got a hold of his emotions and stopped. He wiped away what tears were still on his face and headed back into the house. The boys were playing a different game now, but not one Kenny recognized.

"Hey, Kenny!" Cartman yelled as he played against Kyle. "Good to see you're no longer crying like a little girl."

Kenny stared at Cartman in anger and mumbled incomprehensibly to himself.

"Well, sit down! I'm almost... done! Ha ha! Take that, Kyle!"  
"Hey, it's my first time playing this!"  
"Whatever... Whaddya say, Kenny? Wanna try defeating **the master**?!"  
"...Sure."

Kenny started playing against Cartman. He tried his best to defeat his friend, but he kept thinking about Kyle and what he had said. He didn't even have time to figure out the controls; just a couple of minutes later, Kenny was defeated.

"Yeah! Suck it, poor boy!"

Kenny stared at the screen for a long time without saying anything. Kyle and Stan were concerned for his well-being, but only Stan dared say anything about it.

"Kenny? You OK?"  
"Of course not!" Cartman yelled. "He was just defeated by... **the master**!"

Kenny kept staring at the screen, apparently not paying any attention to Cartman's mocking. Seeing as how he wasn't reacting, Cartman decided to push the blond further. He started poking him several times per second and raised his voice.

"Ha ha, Kenny! Wanna try again? Or maybe you wanna cry, like when Kyle-"

Kenny suddenly snapped, got up from the couch, and started punching Cartman as hard as he could. Kyle and Stan also got up and tried pulling Kenny away, but the tall boy was far stronger than either of them, and, in his current state, he was even stronger than both of them combined. Kenny simply pushed his friends backward somewhat gently and kept punching Cartman, breaking his nose and making him bleed profusely. In his blind rage, he just kept punching Cartman harder and harder. Blood splattered all over his fists and clothes, as well as Cartman's clothes. Kyle and Stan tried several more times to stop him, only managing to get pushed even harder. Finally, after being pushed harder than usual, Kyle tripped and fell onto a controller that had been tossed onto the ground, smashing it and making him yell in pain. His scream pierced Kenny's mind and turned his anger into regret and sadness.

"Kyle!"

"_Seriously?_" Stan thought."_**That's** what stops you?_"

Kenny rushed to Kyle's side and helped him up.

"I'm sorry, Kyle. I-I..."

Kenny looked at his fists and started shaking. They were covered in blood. Cartman's blood. He looked at Cartman and saw him knocked out. He looked at Stan and saw him horrified. He finally looked down at Kyle, who was even more horrified than Stan. He was on the verge of tears – not because of the pain, but because he couldn't believe Kenny had done something so atrocious.  
The three conscious boys stood in silence, with the only sound being Cartman lightly snoring. Kyle finally decided to say something.

"Kenny... You..."

Kenny suddenly got up and ran out Cartman's front door, leaving his friends to wonder what the fat boy would do once he woke up. Stan quickly figured out what had made Kenny snap: not Cartman, but Kyle.

"_Kyle really did it... I never thought he would actually... He did it._"


	2. Chapter 2

This is yet another introductory chapter. This story will take longer than expected to reach the main plot.

* * *

Kenny arrived at his house and immediately went for the bathroom. He stripped as quickly as he could and got into the shower, not realizing how cold the water was, even after it splashed his body. He stood in the freezing water for a long time, trying desperately to scrub Cartman's blood off of his hands and face, but only managing to spread it over an even larger area.

"_It's not coming off... Why won't it come off?!_"

Kenny was starting to panic. He scrubbed harder and harder, actually managing to hurt himself, but without stopping.

* * *

Meanwhile, as Kenny desperately tried to get Cartman's blood off of him, Kyle and Stan awaited the ambulance they had called for Cartman.

"So... Are we gonna talk about what just happened?"  
"Kenny just did what **you** always wanted to." Stan said.  
"I... I never wanted..."  
"I didn't mean to say that. I'm just... I can't believe Kenny really did it. Who knows how bad it really is? What will Cartman do? You know he's the kind to hold a grudge and do **anything** to settle the score."

Cartman started groaning in pain and opened his eyes. His vision was blurry and his face hurt, but he didn't let it show.

"You alright?" Stan asked.  
"No, I'm not alright. That little fucker hit me!"

Cartman looked at Kyle and frowned.

"This is all **your** fault."  
"**My** fault? You're the one who pushed him!"  
"If **you** hadn't made him cry-"  
"You made Kenny cry? I thought Cartman was joking about that!"  
"I-"  
"He sure did. Dunno what he said, but it must've been something big."

If Stan had any doubts before, they were gone now. He pulled Kyle away from Cartman and spoke to him in as low a voice as he could muster.

"You **actually** told him you weren't interested?"  
"**You** told me to."  
"I never expected him to beat the shit out of Cartman..."  
"Neither did I."

"_Not like he didn't deserve it, though._" Stan thought.

Seeing that the other two boys were done with their conversation, Cartman yelled at Kyle.

"By the way, don't think I didn't see my controller. One of you – or Kenny – is gonna have to pay for that."

All three boys heard the ambulance approaching, so Kyle and Stan helped Cartman up.

"Come on, fatty. Let's get you to the hospital."  
"Shut up, Kyle."

After just a handful of minutes, they arrived at the hospital. The police arrived as soon as they could, once they were warned about what had happened. Cartman was hesitant to tell them the truth, but he did it anyway. Although the police wanted to arrest Kenny, Cartman told them he didn't want to press charges. He knew something was going on, and instantaneous revenge would ruin his chance for long-time retribution.

"_Kenny... You **will** pay. You can be sure of that._"

Cartman was sent for a head CT, giving Kyle and Stan some time to talk.

"So... Why did you do it?" Stan asked.  
"Do what?"  
"Why did you tell him you weren't interested?"  
"Because you're right. You're sick of me always coming to you, I'm sick of him always coming to me. I'm done."  
"Is that **really** what you think?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"You never told him until now, even after all these years. You only told him because you were upset that I had yelled at you... I think you did it because you wanted to apologize to me; not because you wanted to."  
"Maybe you're right. I guess now you're going to say I like Kenny or something, right?"  
"Um... Nah... That was **totally** not my point." Stan sarcastically said.  
"...Let's just hope Cartman's OK."

* * *

Kenny finally managed to get the last bit of blood off of himself, but his clothes still had some drops. The cold water had finally registered in his mind, so, in spite of his bloody clothes, he was now lying in bed, trying to warm himself up. As he lied there, he began reviewing what had happened to him.

"_I went to school... Got invited into Cartman's house... Then Kyle told me to stop showing him I like him... Cartman pissed me off, so I... hurt him. And then I... hurt... Kyle... I'm so sorry... Kyle..._"

Kenny started crying, fully regretting his actions against Kyle. He sobbed loudly, alerting his brother that something had gone wrong. Kevin left his room and found Kenny's clothes on the floor. He saw the blood stains, picked up the clothes, and went into Kenny's room.

"Bro? Is everything alright?"

Kenny wiped away his tears and stopped sobbing.

"What do you want, Kevin?"  
"Whoa, bro... Take a chill pill. I just want to help you."  
"I know... I'm sorry. I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at myself."  
"What happened?"  
"You promise not to tell anyone?"  
"Of course."  
"Alright... I'll tell you."

Kenny summarized most of his day for Kevin, leaving out his confrontation with Kyle, among other things. He had to stop to hold back his tears several times, as the end always came to his mind. When he finally reached the part where he knocked out Cartman, Kevin was unsure whether he should cheer or be silent. He went with the latter, leading Kenny to the part where he hurt Kyle. He finally lost control and resumed crying. Kevin patted his back and spoke once Kenny stopped shedding tears.

"Look, Kenny... I know Kyle's your friend and all, but... You just knocked him down. It's not like you broke his nose and knocked him out."  
"That's not all... Kyle's face... He looked at me like... I've never seen him so scared."  
"I'd be scared too, if I saw something like that. Didn't even it occur to you that you should stop once he started bleeding? Or when you broke his nose? Or when he was knocked out?"  
"I was just so angry..."  
"What did he say that made you so pissed?"  
"He... He just... He reminded me of a bad event in my life."  
"How bad was it?"  
"...Bad."  
"OK... I hope some day you'll manage to tell me."  
"I'm sorry, Kevin. If I could tell you, I would."  
"It's OK. I know you'll tell me when you're ready."

Kenny and Kevin hugged, and Kenny started crying again. Kevin held him tight, letting him express his sadness for as long as was necessary. Once Kenny stopped crying, Kevin let go.

"Thanks, Kevin."  
"No problem."

Kevin left Kenny's room and went back to what he was doing.

* * *

After a couple of hours, Cartman was released from the hospital. Kyle and Stan took him home and asked him what he was going to do about Kenny.

"Nothing at all." Cartman said.  
"Right..."  
"Maybe something... I haven't decided yet."  
"What about the police?"  
"I told them I wasn't going to press charges."  
"Then you have something else planned?" Kyle asked worryingly as the boys approached Cartman's house.  
"Don't worry, Kyle; you'll be the first to know. Now screw you guys, I'm going home."

Cartman ambled home and slammed the door, leaving Kyle and Stan alone.

* * *

Cartman's mom was waiting for him inside the house. She noticed Cartman's stitches, as well as the blood on his shirt.

"Eric! What happened?"  
"It's OK, mom... I... got in a fight."  
"Who did this to you?"  
"Um... It doesn't really matter. I forgave him."  
"It does matter! I'm going to talk to his parents and-"  
"Mom! Please, don't do anything. **Please**."

Liane looked at her son, sighed, and nodded.

"Alright, Eric. I trust you."  
"Thanks, mom."

Cartman and Liane hugged, whereupon Cartman's face reflected his true feelings. He was angry at Kenny, bent on revenge.

"_Tomorrow is the day you pay, Kenny... Trust me on that._"

* * *

On their way to their respective houses, Stan asked Kyle more about the incident.

"Did he start crying right away?"  
"Why do you wanna know?"  
"I want to know more so I can give you some advice."  
"There's no advice to be given. I hurt Kenny, he got sad, and cried. That's all."  
"Did he say anything?"  
"He just stuttered some random words... Didn't really **say** anything... Look, I really don't want to talk about it any more."  
"That's OK. We're almost at my place anyhow. Race you there!"

Stan dashed for his house, with Kyle following closely behind. In spite of his size, Kyle slowly caught up to his friend, but didn't make it in time. Stan shook hands with him, and Kyle was off on his own path.

* * *

Kyle arrived at his own house in a few minutes. He stood at the front door, with the key in his hand, but didn't go in.

"_Kenny... I have to warn you._"

Instead of going in, Kyle ran for Kenny's house.

* * *

Kyle knocked on the door and, a few seconds later, Kevin opened it.

"Hey, Kyle."  
"Hi, Kevin. Is your brother home?"  
"Sure, but... He's a bit... sad, I guess would be the word."  
"Do you think he'd mind if I went to see him anyway?"  
"Not at all. Go right ahead."

Kevin moved to the side and Kyle rushed upstairs and into Kenny's room. Through the open door he saw the bloody parka Kevin had left on Kenny's bed, as well as Kenny himself, back facing the door, curled up into a fetal position. Kyle could hear faint sobs, indicative that Kenny hadn't taken notice of his presence, so he knocked on the door, startling the blond. Kenny wiped away his tears and slowly got up. As soon as he turned around, he saw Kyle and smiled.

"Hey, Kyle."  
"Hi."  
"Not that I mind, but... why are you here? After what happened, I didn't expect you would talk to me again."  
"I came to warn you."  
"About what?"  
"Cartman's pissed. And I mean **really** pissed. Scott Tenorman pissed."  
"Wow. Haven't heard that name in a while..."  
"This is serious, Kenny. You need to focus. Cartman's looking out for revenge, and, knowing him, it could be anything."  
"I get it... I just... How are **you** doing?"  
"Me?"  
"Yeah. I pushed you pretty hard, and I saw you had fallen on Cartman's controller."  
"Well, my ass hurts a little... but I'm OK."

"_It's a cute ass too._" Kenny thought as he smiled.

"Well, that's everything... I should go home now. I'm sure my mom's worried about me."

Kyle turned around, when a question popped into Kenny's mind.

"Wait..."  
"Hm?" Kyle said as he faced Kenny.  
"I... Why didn't you just call me or something? I doubt I'm your favorite person right now."  
"I..."

"_Come on, Kyle._" Kyle thought."_Make something up._"

"I wanted to see you." Kyle blurted without thinking.

"_Great. Now he's gonna think I like him._"

"Um... Thanks, Kyle."  
"I-I should go. Sorry."

Kyle quickly ran out the front door and started thinking about what he had said while he went home.

"_Fucking stupid thing to say... It's probably Stan's fault. Got inside my head. I just hope Kenny doesn't overthink it. Although... Why **did** I come here? I could've just called. The idea didn't even occur to me._"

* * *

While Kyle tried figuring out just why he hadn't called, Kenny was trying to figure out what Kyle's final statement, before he said he had to leave, meant.

"_It's a mixed signal... Or maybe it's just friendship. Why would Kyle lie to me before if he did really like me? It makes no sense. It's probably friendship._"

Kenny lied back down on his bed and closed his eyes.

"_Just friendship... Nothing more._"

* * *

The following morning, Kenny woke up late for school, as was normal for him. Kyle and Stan were waiting for him near the school gate, but Cartman was nowhere to be seen.

"Do you think Cartman's not coming because of Kenny?"  
"No way. His mom isn't believing his lies anymore. For the most part. He probably told her the truth about his trip to the hospital."  
"Yeah... Look, there's Cartman!"

Stan looked at where Kyle was pointing and saw the fat boy approaching.

"Hey, guys. Where's Kenny?"  
"He isn't here yet."  
"Typical..."  
"Are you planning something, Cartman?"  
"Why do **you** care, Kyle?"  
"Yeah. Why **do** you care, Kyle?"  
"What, and **you** don't, Stan?"  
"...Good point."  
"He's a friend; that's all. I care about him just like I cared about Cartman when Kenny beat the shit out of him."  
"Aw. I didn't know you cared, Kyle."  
"Shut up, Cartman."

Just as Cartman was about to retort, the bell rang, forcing the boys to get to class.

* * *

Kenny arrived at the school a few minutes after the bell rang. He hadn't even noticed his hood was off as he rushed into the classroom. Everyone, including the teacher, stared at him. Kenny's eyes surveyed the room, coming to a stop when they met Kyle's.

"_I had almost forgot what Kenny's hair looked like..._" Kyle thought."_All I could see most of the time were a few golden strands covering his eyes..._"

Kenny's eyes wandered again, this time stopping at Cartman's. The boys stared at each other for a while; Cartman in anger, and Kenny in fear. The entire class noticed their stare down, but didn't say anything.  
Kenny went inside the classroom and closed the door behind him. He didn't feel like he was ready for whatever Cartman had planned, yet he had no choice.

"_Time to face Cartman._"


	3. Chapter 3

This is the chapter that will (finally) start the main plot (but not too much). I'm only planning on one more chapter after this, but I may be wrong, seeing as how I was only planning on three chapters in the first place.  
This chapter contains some grammatical errors in dialog. These are not my errors, but those of the characters. I've never been able to truly make a character dumber than I am (at least in speech), so consider this a test run. I've tried it before in the past, but quickly forgot about it.

* * *

The students remained quiet for the entire class, surprising their teacher. They could sense the tension between Kenny and Cartman, yet they didn't say anything. Most of them figured whatever was going on was none of their business. Kyle and Stan weren't part of that group. They just knew that, if they tried to help, all hell would break loose. In their view, it was better to let Kenny and Cartman settle their differences on their own, but it was still a lousy option. Kyle was most concerned, as he knew better than almost anyone what Cartman was capable of. From infecting him with HIV to making him his slave, Cartman had done horrible things to Kyle.

* * *

After class, Kenny was pulled away by Cartman, while Kyle talked to Stan.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Stan asked.  
"Knowing Cartman, he's probably boasting about his revenge."

* * *

Kyle was wrong yet again. In spite of his anger and instinct for vengeance, Cartman was taking things slowly.

"So... Why did you do it?"  
"You pissed me off."  
"Well, now you've pissed **me** off."  
"What do you want, Cartman?"  
"For now I just want information. And you're gonna give it to me."  
"Or...?"  
"Or I will talk to the police and have you thrown in jail. And trust me, you don't want to know what they'll do to a pretty boy like you."

"_Did you just call me pretty?_"

"...What do you wanna know?"  
"What did Kyle tell you? Why were you crying?"  
"I-I can't tell you that."  
"Either you tell me, or I will talk to the cops."  
"I... I... Fine. You wanna know the truth? I'll tell you."

Kenny slowly told Cartman the truth. He started by telling him the origin of his feelings for Kyle, then moved on to the time he told Kyle he liked him. Finally, he revealed he had been giving Kyle signs for years, but that the redhead couldn't take it anymore and asked him to stop.

"Well, who would know? Big bad Kenny, in love with another boy. Fucking fag..."  
"Now you know the truth. Just leave me alone and I **promise** I won't do it again."  
"I didn't say I was done, blondie. Now you're gonna do **whatever** I want, **whenever** I want. Got it? Oh, and just so we're clear, you will **never** speak about this to anyone, or-"  
"Yeah, I got it. You'll throw me in jail."  
"Glad to see you're not too stupid. Now let's get back to Stan and Kyle. No doubt they're wondering what we're talking about. So smile and nod, as if we just had a pleasant conversation."

Kenny stopped in his tracks, making Cartman stop as well, but a few steps ahead of him. He looked at the blond and frowned.

"I said 'smile and nod', so **smile and nod**."

Kenny felt a cold shiver running down his spine. He tried his best to muster a smile, but it couldn't look more fake. Cartman still accepted it, though, and the boys headed back to meet their other two friends. Kyle was becoming increasingly concerned, yet he didn't say anything. He wanted to wait until he was sure Kenny had a problem before intervening. Stan was also worried about Kenny, but he knew Kyle would be the better person for the job.

* * *

Kenny had been interrogated by Cartman every chance the fat boy got until school was over. Kenny had no choice but to answer everything his blackmailer asked. He didn't dare lie either, should Cartman find out the truth later on and punish him for it. He knew Cartman's imagination for wrongdoings was practically limitless, and he didn't want to face it.  
Kenny thought his torment was over for the day, but Cartman still wanted to punish him further. He dragged Kenny to his house, where he resumed his punishment.

"What do you want now, Cartman?"  
"You're gonna do my homework."  
"**Me**? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly the smartest guy around."  
"I think you'll suffice. And I **know** you won't fail, or... Well, you know what will happen. Now get to it. You don't have all day."

Cartman handed Kenny his backpack and led him to his room. Kenny looked at Cartman's homework, completely forgetting his own in the process. He clenched his fists reflexively in anger, but calmed himself down and relaxed.

"_If I hit Cartman again, I'm done... Gotta stay calm._"

"You'd better get started, blondie."

* * *

By the time Kenny finished with the homework, Cartman, his mother, and just about everyone else in South Park had already gone to sleep. His mother had called him twice, as well as his brother. Kenny lied to them and said he was spending time with a friend. After leaving Cartman's homework on the boy's desk, Kenny left as quietly as possible.

* * *

Kenny arrived home several minutes later, exhausted. He went up the stairs and into his room, where he undressed. Kenny then lied down on his bed and passed out.

* * *

Kenny slept through his alarm, yet none of his family members tried to wake him up. He missed his first class and arrived at the school just as his colleagues were leaving the classroom. Cartman quickly made his way toward him and pulled him away, just like before.

"Kenny, this won't do. You can't keep coming late like this."  
"I was only late because you kept me up all night, working on your stupid homework."  
"And you'll be working all night again **today**. And if you arrive late tomorrow..."

Kenny clenched his fists again, prompting Cartman to smirk.

"What? Are you gonna hit me again? Go ahead. I'll have witnesses this time."

Kenny's eyes flared up with anger, but he still relaxed his fists and shook his head.

"I won't hit you..."  
"Good... Don't be late again."  
"I won't..."

Cartman walked away feeling superior, unaware of Kenny's growing rage. Kyle, though, who had been watching them, noticed Kenny's change in demeanor and approached his friend.

"You OK, Kenny?"  
"I'm... fine." Kenny said with gritted teeth.  
"Right..."

Kenny sighed and stared into Kyle's eyes with the saddest expression Kyle had ever seen.

"I'm sorry, Kyle... I shouldn't lie to you, especially so blatantly."  
"What did Cartman want?"  
"Remember the ginger cow incident?"  
"Don't remind me... I still have nightmares about that."  
"Same thing, basically."  
"Do you want my advice?"  
"...Sure."  
"Don't do what he asks. Whatever he threatens you with, it can't be as bad as being his slave."  
"...He's threatening to call to the cops and have me thrown in jail."  
"He can't do that!"  
"Why not? I beat the crap out of him."  
"I mean there's no way he can get **any** judge to send you to jail just because you hit him. Worst case, you'd get a fine."  
"I... did not know that. How much do you think it'd be?"  
"I have no idea... Look, just talk to him and tell him you're not gonna take that kind of crap from him anymore. I'll help you pay whatever fine you get."  
"Thanks, Kyle. I..."

Kenny hesitantly hugged Kyle tight, which the smaller boy slowly reciprocated.

"Thank you, Kyle."

"_I just hope nobody saw that._" Kyle thought.

Kenny did as Kyle advised him to. He pulled Cartman to a deserted part of the playground, just like Cartman had done to him twice, and told him exactly what Kyle said. Kenny knew recess was almost over, so he blurted out everything. Cartman laughed at Kenny's newfound courage, making him feel uncomfortable.

"I'm surprised you figured that out."  
"Yeah, well... I'm not gonna take this anymore."  
"Did you really think I didn't plan for this? You've told me enough secrets to keep you in line."  
"You..."  
"And besides, I don't think you'd be able to pay the fine anyways, being as poor as you and your family are... There's nothing you can do. I own you."

The bell rang, putting an end to Cartman's gloating. Kenny let him walk away, in spite of wanting to break his nose again. Kyle saw Kenny's anger and quickly realized something had gone wrong. Kenny finally surrendered to Cartman and dropped all his hatred, which was quickly replaced with sadness. Kyle noticed Kenny's change in demeanor and became enraged himself.

"_Kenny... I won't let Cartman do to you what he did to me. I **will** save you._"

* * *

After school, the four boys gathered at the gate and chatted for a while before finally deciding to leave_. Kenny wanted to go to his house and rest, but Cartman stopped him with a seemingly innocent request._

_"Kenny, why don't you stop by __**my**__ house? We could... play video games."  
"Cartman, I'm really tired."  
"You can rest there. Let's go."_

Kenny sighed and nodded, and went home with the fat boy. Kyle and Stan went to the latter's house, to discuss Kenny, at Stan's request. Kyle was surprised by Stan's change of heart regarding Kenny as a topic of discussion, yet he wasn't complaining.

* * *

Once Kyle and Stan arrived at Stan's house, they went into his room. Stan started asking Kyle some Kenny-related questions right away.

"So, what's with Kenny, you, and Cartman?"  
"Promise you won't tell anyone?"  
"Do you really have to ask?"  
"OK then... Kenny's being blackmailed by Cartman. Apparently he threatened him with jail, which I told him was impossible, but before I could do that, Cartman got him to spill some major secrets that would make him the laughingstock of the entire town. His words."  
"Seriously? What could he have possibly said that would be so bad?"  
"I don't know and, to be honest, right now I don't care."  
"You only care about **him**, right?"  
"Don't give me that crap! Are you telling me you're not worried?"  
"I'm just messing with you, Kyle... Relax."  
"Kenny's in trouble. You know what Cartman is capable of. We have to help him."  
"Tell you what: I'll meet you at Kenny's in three hours."  
"You sure?"  
"Of course. We'll talk to him together and try to find a solution. Three hours should be enough time for him to come back from Cartman's."  
"Thanks, Stan."  
"No need to thank me. He's a friend. I'd do the same for you. Besides, I'm not doing much. I'm just gonna talk to him."  
"Alright. We'll meet at his house. I'll be waiting for you."  
"OK. Now go home."

* * *

Fifteen minutes before the agreed time, Kyle was already waiting for Stan. He had thought his friend would be early as well, but no such luck. Kyle waited until well past the proper hour, until he couldn't wait anymore.

"_That's it. I'm going in alone._"

Kyle rang the doorbell and waited. When no one came, he rang again while knocking on the door. Finally, a voice was heard from the inside, as well as footsteps. slowly getting louder.

"I'm coming! Hang on!"

Kyle didn't recognize the voice, but assumed it was Kenny's.

"Kenny! It's me, Kyle!"

The door was loudly unlocked, making Kyle's heart race with anticipation. He briefly wondered why that was, until the door opened and he saw Kevin – not Kenny – standing on the other side, crushing his hopes.

"Hey, Kyle. My brother's upstairs."  
"When did he get here?"  
"About an hour ago."

"_I've been waiting for 45 minutes... I must've just missed him._"

"Is he alright?" Kyle asked.  
"Um... Not exactly..."  
"What does that mean?"  
"He's just... Look, if you think you can get through to him, I'll let you up. Just don't expect him to be... coherent."  
"Uh... OK?..."  
"Well... Come on in."

Kyle went straight for Kenny's room and found him lying in his bed with half-closed eyes. It took him a while to notice Kyle, but, once he did, he smiled.

"Hey!"  
"Hi, Kenny. I wanted to talk to you about Cartman."  
"You mean fatty? About the size of a small planet?"

Kenny burst out laughing, raising red flags to Kyle. He knew of only one thing Kenny used to do that could cause this effect.

"A-Are you high?"  
"Pretty much."

Kyle was taken aback. Could Cartman's influence really be so disruptive that Kenny would resort to drugs?

"You told everyone you quit."  
"And I did... Until now."  
"Why?"  
"Because Cartman won. There's nothing I can do."

Kenny grabbed a bunch of pills and swallowed them. Kyle tried to stop him, but he was too far away, and Kenny was too quick.

"Stop that." Kyle said sternly.  
"Why? It's not gonna kill me."

Kenny swallowed several more pills. This time, Kyle almost reached him in time.

"I said stop it!"  
"Make me."

"_I swear, you're worse than a child._"

Kenny tried to take more pills, but Kyle held his arms in place. They struggled for a while, until Kenny got tired of it and pulled Kyle with all his strength, making him trip and fall right on top of him. Kenny burst out laughing again, but Kyle just blushed and looked away.

"This is good, isn't it?"

Kyle's eyes widened at Kenny's statement, prompting him to quickly get off Kenny. Kenny also got up and apologized.

"I'm sorry, Kyle."  
"It's not your fault, Kenny. It's the drugs."  
"I didn't mean I was sorry for doing what I did or saying what I said. I'm not."  
"What then?"  
"I'm sorry I told you I liked you."

Kyle's eyes widened again as he turned around to face his friend.

"Why would you apologize for that?"  
"If I hadn't told you, none of this would have happened. I wouldn't have beaten Cartman up, you wouldn't have to come here to try and save me... So, for that, I'm sorry."  
"Kenny... It's not your fault. You told me what you thought you had to."

Kenny closed in on Kyle until only a few inches separated them. Their eyes met, making both of them blush.

"I only wish..." Kenny said as he placed his hand on Kyle's cheek. "I wish..."  
"What?"

Kyle knew exactly what Kenny wanted to say, but he wanted to hear it from his mouth.

"...Nothing." Kenny finally added as he removed his hand from Kyle's face. "I'm feeling a little... sleepy."

Kenny's legs suddenly gave out, but Kyle was able to hold him up, albeit with some difficulty.

"Let me get you in bed, Kenny. Then you can sleep."

Kenny and Kyle slowly made their way toward Kenny's bed, where he sat down.

"There you go..."

Kenny became noticeably sleepier.

"_Kenny... Why do you do this to yourself?_"

Suddenly, while Kyle looked away, Kenny wrapped his arms around Kyle and held him gently. Kyle blushed and smiled, but he also wondered what Kenny had planned. From what he could remember, when Kenny was drugged, he'd do almost anything. After almost a full minute, Kyle started to feel uncomfortable.

"Kenny... Please let go."

Kenny turned Kyle's face toward his own and smiled warmly. Kyle felt himself blush even harder and approached his friend. Kenny quickly placed his hand on Kyle's cheek and, without warning, pulled him closer and kissed him. Kyle instinctively kissed back, and the boys remained locked at the lips until Kenny finally passed out. At that moment, Kyle felt insulted, but also exhilarated and ashamed. He lied Kenny on his bed, kissed his forehead tenderly, and left without ever looking back.


	4. Chapter 4

Again, this chapter contains dialog errors. And, again, these are the characters' errors; not mine.

* * *

Kyle left Kenny's room, passing by Kevin on his way downstairs. As soon as he exited the McCormicks' house, he saw Stan, who was finally arriving.

"What took you so long?"  
"Did you already talk to him?"  
"Sort of..."  
"Whaddya mean?"  
"He... he was high."  
"How high?"  
"Enough to say Cartman is the size of a planet and laugh at it."  
"Wow. That's the lamest thing he's ever said... Is that all he did?"  
"Um... Yeah."  
"Mind trying that again?"  
"Uh..."

Kyle lowered his eyes and started to blush. Stan didn't need to hear another word; he knew what had happened.

"You kissed him, didn't you?"  
"What?! No!"  
"You did!"  
"No; he kissed **me**."

"_Shit._" Kyle thought.

"Ha! I knew it!"  
"It's not what you think, alright?! I... He just did it, out of the blue! Anyway, this is **your** fault!"  
"What did **I** do?"  
"If you had showed up when **you** agreed to, I wouldn't have been alone with him."  
"It's not **my** fault he likes you. If he was as high as you made it seem, he probably would've kissed you anyway."

Kyle grumbled incomprehensibly, making Stan laugh loudly.

"Shut up, Stan!"  
"Sorry; it's just... funny."  
"It's not. It felt... wrong."  
"Seriously?"  
"Yes." Kyle lied. "I didn't like it. Not one bit."

Stan looked at Kyle from head to toe. Seeing no indications that he was lying, Stan accepted Kyle's story.

"Alright. I won't bother you with this again... And, um... sorry I wasn't here."  
"It's fine..." Kyle sighed. "Let's just go home."

As soon as Kyle arrived home, he rushed upstairs into his room. He lied in his bed, with his eyes closed, and started to think about his feelings for Kenny.

"_Kenny... I've known you my whole life... I've seen you through good and bad. Drugs, alcohol, smoking, and the inevitable rehab those things bring. We've kissed. We've had fun together. You've hurt me, and I've hurt you... Mostly the former. Yet... I still feel... connected to you. Is it friendship, or... something more? Could it be... love?_"

Kyle opened his eyes and listened to his body. His heart fluttered at the very thought of dating Kenny. Thinking back on the kiss only made it worse. The blood rushed in his ears and cheeks, making the latter redden considerably, and his stomach twisted itself into knots. All the memories – good and bad – involving Kenny rushed to his brain. From the day they met to their first hug, to the times Kenny almost died, all began to assail Kyle's mind. He closed his eyes as hard as he could while attempting to clear his head, in a futile attempt to stop the images. Deep down, Kyle knew the only thing that would stop the repressed feelings that were being unleashed: admitting his fondness for Kenny had overgrown simple friendship. Finally, that thought – that forbidden thought – pierced his mind, shattering every other image currently streaming from his brain. Then, Kyle's eyes flew open and he sighed contentedly.

"_Kenny..._"

* * *

The following morning, Kenny woke up feeling groggy from the narcotics he had taken the previous afternoon. He groaned for a while, until he noticed his brother at the door.

"Hey, Kevin."  
"You OK?"  
"Not really..."  
"Just be glad today's Saturday, or you might be late for school."  
"Yeah... I wouldn't want that."  
"So... What do you remember from yesterday?"  
"Why do you ask?"  
"Well, Kyle came around. Do you remember that?"  
"I..."

Kenny slowly began to remember about Kyle's visit. Once he remembered the very last bit that happened before he passed out, his eyes widened.

"Did you see...?"  
"I sure did. I saw more than that, actually, since you were knocked out."  
"What exactly did you see?"  
"I saw you kissing Kyle. Then, after you passed out, Kyle lied you down and kissed your forehead. I just wonder how he didn't figure out I saw you after he passed by me on the hallway... Or maybe he did and..."  
"...And what?"  
"I dunno. I'm just thinking out loud. Like... I'm guessing he's the reason you beat up Cartman?"  
"Sort of..."  
"Wanna talk about it?"  
"Sure... Sit down."

Kevin did as Kenny told him, and Kenny began his confession. He started by admitting his feelings for Kyle, then moved on to his rejection and the beating that followed. Finally, he explained his problems with Cartman. He nearly started crying just from thinking about having to deal with Cartman once the weekend was over, and that'd be only if Cartman didn't call him before then.

"I see." Kevin said. "Have you tried simply beating the crap out of him again?"  
"I don't want to scare Kyle again... I don't want to hurt him by hurting Cartman."  
"I get it, Kenny... I'd probably do the same."  
"Well, that's everything. You can go now."  
"You sure?"  
"Positive."  
"Alright... If you ever need anything, you know where I'll be."  
"I know... Thanks, Kevin."  
"Any time."

* * *

Kyle woke up shortly after Kenny, but without the grogginess. He thought about kissing Kenny and felt his stomach tying itself into knots again. He had to remind himself that he would no longer be denying what was now clear to him. He would take charge and speak to Kenny openly, without restraints, like Kenny had done all those years ago.

* * *

After breakfast, Kyle ran straight for Kenny's house. In spite of his revelation, he was steadily slowing down his pace. With every step he took, he realized something. He had no idea how to approach the topic with Kenny.

"_I rejected him so badly it made him cry... I'm not sure he'll be willing to listen to me._"

* * *

Once he arrived at Kenny's front door, Kyle stopped.

"_Maybe... Maybe I should go home._" Kyle thought as he turned around. "_Then again... I came all the way here, and Kenny deserves the truth. What to do...?_"

Before Kyle could make up his mind, he heard the door being unlocked.

"_Kenny?_" Kyle wondered excitedly.

Like before, it wasn't Kenny at the door, but his brother, Kevin.

"Hey, Kyle. My bro's upstairs."  
"Hi, Kevin... Is it that obvious that I came here to see him?"  
"Of course. That's why you even come here."  
"I'm sorry... I don't mean to disrespect you."  
"You don't. I just... I wonder why you don't visit more often... You know... visit... **him**."

"_Wow._" Kyle thought. "_Could you be any less subtle?_"

"Um... Sure."  
"Well, I won't hold you back any longer. Go on upstairs. I'm sure Kenny could use the visit."  
"Alright. Thanks."

Kevin moved aside and Kyle slowly made his way upstairs. Every step he took made his legs feel heavier than ever before. The journey itself seemed longer than anything he had ever experienced. The path before him seemed to get longer with each passing moment. Kevin, who was standing outside Kyle's frame of reference, saw only a redhead walking very slowly. He wondered why Kyle was walking so slowly, but, soon afterward, Kyle reached the top of the staircase.

"_Finally._" Kevin thought. "_Now just go into his room and do... whatever it is you came here to do._"

Kenny's bedroom door was closed. Kyle knew that, beyond that door lain Kenny. The thought made his heart race and filled his mind with thoughts of what could happen. Of what would happen. Finally, Kyle hesitantly knocked on the door.

"Kenny!"

Inside, Kenny thought he recognized his friend's voice, but he wanted to be sure before he became excited.

"Who is it?"  
"It's me, Kyle!"

"_Kyle!_"

Kenny got up from his bed and ran toward the door, nearly tripping on a can of beer that had been casually tossed on the floor. Kyle heard the metallic sound, dismissing it within moments. Once Kenny was at the door, his heart began to race. Kenny shakingly touched the door knob and turned it, opening the door. The boys' eyes met instantly, making them blush. Kyle was once again regretting having come to talk to Kenny, but Kenny couldn't see it. Instead, he started their conversation.

"Um... H-Hey, Kyle."  
"H-Hey."  
"Wanna come in?"  
"Sure."

As Kyle moved into Kenny's bedroom, Kenny's eyes were drawn to his brother. Kevin smiled knowingly, prompting Kenny to shake his head. Kyle only saw Kenny shaking his head, wondering what it was, but decided not to speak his mind. Instead, Kenny spoke his, slowly approaching Kyle, who had lowered his eyes to avoid being enticed by Kenny's stare.

"So, Kyle..."  
"Yeah?"  
"I... I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. It was wrong of me, and I shouldn't have-"  
"You were high. I don't blame you, Kenny."  
"That doesn't justify what I did... I'm sorry."  
"Kenny... I... came here... I had this... revelation, you see..."  
"What's that?"  
"I realized..."

Kyle looked once again into Kenny's eyes. They looked like pieces of the sky, as blue and bright as a clear summer day. They were mesmerizing. Hypnotizing even.

"I... I-I..."

Without being able to utter the words he wanted, Kyle instead decided to show Kenny what he meant. Just as Kenny had done, he placed his hand on Kenny's cheek and smiled. The blond let himself be pulled by Kyle and closed his eyes, knowing exactly what was to come. They locked their lips in their first real kiss. Kenny was still hazy, but, when their lips touched, all that disappeared, letting him savor the experience. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Better than the many drugs he had sampled. Better than the failed relationships he had had with many people over the years. It was love.  
Their kiss was only broken when Kevin made his presence known. He had followed Kyle up the stairs as quietly as possible and remained hidden until the very last moment, to see what his brother and Kyle would do. Kyle's eyes flew open once he heard Kevin, yet, Kenny, who had his back turned to the door, only blushed. After glancing at Kenny's face, Kyle cleared his throat and addressed the obvious issue.

"Hi, Kevin."  
"Don't mind me." Kevin said as he smiled and chuckled. "I'm just-"  
"Spying." Kenny said angrily while turning around.  
"I... Sorry."

Kevin left, ashamed that he had let his curiosity get the better of him.  
Kyle turned to Kenny, to resume what they were doing, but Kenny first wanted to get some things clear.

"Wait..."  
"What's wrong? I thought... you liked me."  
"I do; of course I do... I just need to know... Do **you** like **me**?"  
"...I thought that was obvious."  
"What do you wanna do about this?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Do you want to... tell people about... us?"  
"I..."

Kyle was hesitant to say what he thought and was looking at the ground, leading Kenny to believe he wanted to keep their relationship a secret.

"It's OK, Kyle. I understand. I'm not sure I feel comfortable either."

Kyle turned his gaze upward and saw Kenny with an uneasy smile and decided to drop the issue. After he sighed, Kenny's smile widened, and his uneasiness fell.

"Now then..." Kenny said as he wrapped his arms around Kyle. "Where were we?"

* * *

Kenny and Kyle spent the rest of the day together, as well as the rest of the weekend. Kenny felt the effects of withdrawal only a few hours after Kyle left the first time, yet his self-esteem was at an all-time high, though when Monday came around, it crumbled. He knew he had to deal with Cartman, and without letting him know of his new-found relationship with Kyle, or the fat boy would blackmail them both.  
Cartman was an expert at reading body language, in spite of what his friends thought. He noticed right away that Kenny was different. Happy. And Cartman didn't like it one bit.

"_Is he a mas... maso... Does he like pain?_" Cartman wondered."_It never seemed like he did... If he does, I'm gonna have to turn up the punishment... But maybe it's something else._"

Cartman finally decided to talk to Kenny about it. Like with all his conversations, Cartman dragged Kenny away from everyone. Kyle stared at him in anger, as he knew what his action entailed, but, like Kenny, he knew to keep his mouth shut. Stan was no fool, though, and saw Kyle's anger.

"_I wonder why Kyle's so angry..._" Stan thought.

Once he felt comfortable with the distance between himself and Kenny, and the rest of the students, Cartman asked Kenny exactly what he wanted to know.

"So, Kenny... Why are you so happy all of a sudden? Was it the weekend? Cleared your head? Hm?"  
"Why do **you** care?"  
"You're mine, Kenny. It's important that I know everything about you... If you don't want to tell me, I can always just tell everyone about how you-"  
"No!"

Kenny's loud denial reached even Kyle's ears, who became increasingly concerned. Stan heard it too, but he was more concerned with Kyle than Kenny, since Kenny wasn't his best friend.  
Cartman let Kenny calm down somewhat before pressing the issue again.

"Well then... Just tell me what happened."

Kenny sighed wearily and slowly explained what had happened to him. Meanwhile, several feet away, Stan questioned Kyle.

"Why are you so pissed and worried?"  
"It's about Cartman."  
"By which you mean it's about Kenny, right?"  
"...Yes, Stan. Thank you for making that clear."  
"Well, what about him?"  
"He... I mean, I... I realized..."  
"...Yes...?"

Kyle looked into Stan's piercing blue eyes and sighed.

"You were right. After you and I talked, I kinda... went back and... kissed him again."  
"Seriously?" Stan laughed. "After everything you said?"  
"I had a revelation."  
"What was that like?"  
"I was lying in my bed, thinking about Kenny... My subconscious kept trying to-"  
"OK, no need to give me literally every detail. I think I get the gist of it anyway."  
"Right..."

"_If you didn't want to know, why did you ask?_"

"Look, I don't want-"

Just as Kyle was about to tell Stan to keep his new relationship with Kenny a secret, Cartman's laughter cut him off. Kyle's eyes once again turned to the fat boy, and his anger flared up.

"_Cartman... Just what are you doing to Kenny?_"

* * *

After school, Cartman ordered Kenny to go home with him, as usual. Kenny wanted to be with Kyle, but he knew Cartman would never let him do that. Before leaving, Kenny faced Kyle and smiled. Kyle smiled back, expecting him to say something, yet he didn't. Instead, he turned his back to Kyle and went to Cartman. As soon as Kenny couldn't see him, Cartman looked at Kyle and smirked, angering him.

"_Fucking fatass..._"

* * *

On his way to Cartman's house, he felt a sharp pain coming from his gut. He grabbed it tight in an attempt to relieve the stabbing sensation. Cartman noticed Kenny was lagging behind and asked him what was wrong.

"It's just... My stomach hurts..."  
"Push through the pain, blondie. Let's go!"

Kenny tried to keep up with Cartman, in spite of his pain. He was barely able to do it and openly showed the effort required, yet Cartman didn't care. Kenny wasn't surprised; he knew Cartman wasn't concerned with anyone but himself, and even himself he didn't care much about, given how he handled his health.

* * *

Kenny and Cartman finally arrived at Cartman's and went upstairs into his room. His mother was happy he seemed to be so friendly with someone, given the difficulty he had had as a child with making friends, and wasn't afraid to show it to Kenny. Kenny, though, simply groaned every time she called him Cartman's friend. She was oblivious to the blond's pain and suffering.  
Cartman tossed Kenny his backpack and started to play on his computer.

"You know what to do."

Kenny opened Cartman's backpack, sighing.

"You know, Cartman... This needs to stop."  
"Not this again... Look, you beat me up, then told me a bunch of your secrets. Really embarrassing stuff. I own you now. Is that so hard to understand?"  
"I... I'm not gonna do this anymore, Cartman."  
"Well, that's too fucking bad... for you. I guess I'll have to tell everyone about your relationship with Kyle. I guess he'll end up committing suicide due to the ridicule. We both know he's not as strong as you... Now, I don't want to have to hurt Kyle, but I will if you keep up this bullshit. You're mine. Deal with it."

Just as Kenny was about to retort, Liane entered the room with cookies.

"Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies! Who wants some?"

She found Kenny and Cartman in opposite sides of the room, but didn't think much of it. Instead, she simply offered the tray of cookies to Kenny, who was closest to the door, then Cartman. Kenny took a couple, while Cartman just took the ones that were still on the tray and started eating them without saying a word.

"Thanks for the cookies, Mrs. Cartman."  
"You're welcome, Kenny."

Liane left, freeing up Kenny to eat the cookies he had taken. Before he could do it, though, Cartman stepped in and took them away from him.

"Bitches don't get cookies."

Kenny was on the verge of tears; not because he was sad, but because of his anger. He had to keep reminding himself that what he was doing was for the best. Kenny briefly wondered if keeping his secrets as secrets was such a good idea. After all, who's to say others would mock him? Still, there was one secret he couldn't reveal: his relationship with Kyle.

"_Cartman's right... If this gets out, Kyle will be done. With me, and with everyone else... Maybe even with life._"

"Say, Kenny..."  
"Yeah?"  
"Mind giving me a massage?"  
"What?"  
"A massage. I'm assuming you know how to give one."  
"I'm not gonna give you a massage."  
"I'm sorry; I thought I heard you deny an order."  
"I thought it was a request."  
"Well, **now**, it's an order. Do it, or else."

Kenny approached Cartman and placed his hands on his shoulders, trying desperately to resist the urge to simply strangle him.

"_Stay calm..._" Kenny thought. "_If you kill him, you'll definitely go to jail, and Kyle would never forgive you._"

"Well?" Cartman asked angrily. "Get to it!"

"_Fucking fatass..._"

* * *

Several hours later, Kenny was finally able to go home. Cartman had fallen asleep at his desk chair, with his legs on his bed and his upper body bent down in their direction, but Kenny let him be, in the hopes that he would wake up in pain.

"_Now that I think about it, that might have been a dumb thing to do. If he's in pain, he'll want to take it out on me._"

It took Kenny nearly half an hour to reach his destination, as his body was aching all over.

"_I shouldn't have taken those pills... Then again, I might not have ended up with Kyle if I hadn't. I guess it's a good thing then._"

Kenny tried going into his room, but his legs were too weak. Instead, he lied down on the couch and went to sleep.

* * *

The following morning, Kenny woke up much later than he should have. He groaned and glanced at his watch. Realizing he was late, he panicked.

"_Shit._"

His body still ached, and he was exhausted, yet he still managed to summon the strength to go into the bathroom and shower. He let the warm water pour on his body, in order to relieve his pain.

"_That feels nice... I wish I could stay here forever._"

Kenny became so lost in relieving his pain that, by the time he arrived at school, his first class was already over. Cartman was beside himself. He didn't care anymore about pulling Kenny away; instead, he ranted for several minutes about how Kenny couldn't do it anymore. Kenny apologized several times, until Kyle snapped.

"Kenny! You don't owe this fat fuck **anything**!"  
"Oh, I wouldn't say that..." Cartman replied smugly.  
"Who the fuck do you think you are?"  
"I'm your bo-"  
"Stop it!" Kenny yelled to interrupt Cartman. "Just leave me alone, both of you."

Kyle stared at Kenny, utterly surprised.

"I-I didn't mean it like that, Kyle. I..."

Kyle turned around angrily and walked away, prompting Kenny to follow him.

"I wonder what that's about." Cartman said.  
"Right..."

Once Kenny caught up to Kyle, he apologized for what he had said.

"I'm sorry, Kyle. I'm not angry at you; I'm angry at **him**."  
"I just don't understand why you told us to leave you alone. It doesn't make sense. We had already stopped talking."  
"I was..."  
"You were emotional. More emotional than simple anger. Why?"

Kenny was ashamed to admit he had revealed his and Kyle's relationship to Cartman, yet he couldn't help but show that he had through body language.

"What did you tell him now?" Kyle asked.  
"I... I told him... I told him about what happened during the weekend. He said that if I don't do what he asks, he'll tell everyone about... us."  
"So?"  
"Everyone will make fun of me... of us."  
"That's not it... You didn't even wait to hear my opinion when you asked if I wanted everyone about us."  
"Actually, I **did** wait; you just didn't say anything."  
"Same difference."  
"...Well, what would you have said?"  
"I would've said... that I don't care if people know. I don't care if Cartman tells everyone."  
"I didn't know..."  
"I'm not as weak as you – and probably Cartman – seem to think I am. I can handle it."  
"Alright..." Kenny said as the bell rang. "I'll talk to him after class."  
"I'm glad."

* * *

Once their class was over, Kenny did as he told Kyle. Since Cartman was quick to leave the classroom, Kenny was still holding a pencil in his hand.  
Cartman burst out laughing at his friend's statement, but Kenny wasn't afraid anymore. Cartman noticed the change in Kenny's attitude and wasn't happy.

"So what if your boyfriend doesn't care? I can still crush you. Kyle was just a minor distraction. Now be quiet and carry my stuff."

Cartman tossed Kenny his backpack, but the blond didn't catch it.

"Kenny, this isn't working. Either you carry my stuff, or I will-"

Kenny finally lost it. He crushed the pencil in his hand and punched Cartman's stomach. The students who were still in their classrooms, upon hearing the blow, left and formed a circle around Kenny and Cartman. Kyle was there too, but he only planned to step in if Kenny went too far.  
Kenny became so enraged he didn't feel the pain of his withdrawal anymore. He kept punching and kicking Cartman as hard as he could, injuring him severely. Cartman tried to block Kenny's strikes, but they were coming in far too quickly and too strongly for him to do it properly. After the fifth punch, Cartman started bleeding, yet Kenny wouldn't stop. After the tenth kick, Cartman didn't even have the strength to stand anymore. At that point, Kenny refrained from hurting him any more and the others finally intervened. Someone had called the police, who arrived and took Kenny away, while an ambulance took care of Cartman.

Kyle went to visit Kenny in jail. He was the only of either their friends to do so, as he was also the only one – aside from Cartman – who knew the truth behind the incident. Cartman had finally decided to press charges, so the police were holding him until a judge could decide Kenny's fate.  
Kenny was handcuffed and taken to a room where he and Kyle could talk.

"So... You beat the crap out of Cartman again."  
"Yup..."  
"What do you think they're gonna do?"  
"Didn't you say all they'd give me is a fine?"  
"Sure, the **first** time you hit him. This is a repeated offense. I don't know what the judge will decide now."  
"Oh... Well, at least you'll visit me, right?"  
"Always."

Kenny stretched his hand toward Kyle, and he took it. Kyle noticed some cuts and bruises on his hand, yet didn't know where they had come from.

"Where did you get these?"  
"I was holding a pencil. I guess it broke and cut me. Still hurts."  
"You must've been holding it really hard."

Kyle slowly rubbed Kenny's hand, to relieve his pain. Kenny smiled, but before he could say anything else, a police officer entered the room.

"Visiting hours are over. Time to go back to your cell."  
"OK... We'll talk later, Kyle... Maybe at my trial."  
"Alright."

Kenny got up and walked away, but Kyle quickly rose as well and hugged him tight before he could leave. The officer sighed wearily, though he decided to let the boys have their moment for a while.

"I'll come back tomorrow, Kenny. Promise."  
"Thank you, Kyle... I... I l-"  
"Come on, kid; let's go."

Kenny nodded at the officer and exited with him, leaving Kyle alone. Before he was out of sight, Kenny motioned with his lips what he wanted to say.

"I love you."

Kyle blushed and smiled at Kenny's statement. He felt warm and tingly inside, until the thought of Kenny's trial crushed his happiness.

"_It's not over yet..._"

* * *

Later that week, Kenny's trial arrived. Kyle was present, and so was Cartman, among others. Kyle's father, Gerald, had volunteered to be Kenny's defense attorney, while Cartman was represented by a randomly appointed lawyer. Cartman demanded what he called justice: for Kenny to be sent to prison for life. The judge ignored his statement, though, and focused on the facts.  
Gerald's turn to present his evidence had come. Unfortunately, his evidence was next to none, so he had to make his case as sound as possible.

"I call Eric Cartman to the stand."

There was mumbling amongst the people in the courtroom. Cartman's lawyer immediately objected, but the judge disregarded his opposition.

"I want to hear what he has to say." the judge said.

Cartman reluctantly got up and sat on the witness stand, so Gerald cleared his throat and started presenting his case.

"What is your relationship with my client, Kenneth McCormick?"  
"He... He's a friend. Acquaintance, I guess would be the proper term now."  
"Isn't it true that my client assaulted you in another occasion?"  
"Yes."

The judge's eyes widened at Cartman's response. He looked at Kenny, who was wondering what exactly Gerald was doing.

"And why did you not press charges at that time?"  
"I thought... I forgave Kenny, and-"  
"That's a lie!" Kenny blurted out as he got up. "He-"  
"Mr. Broflovski, control your client!" the judge yelled.  
"Kenny, please sit down." Gerald said.  
"Kenny... Calm down." Kyle added. "You'll have the chance to speak in a while."

Kyle's voice was like honey to Kenny's ears. He did as Kyle asked, and Kyle placed his hand on his shoulder. While the questioning continued, Kenny gently removed Kyle's hand from his shoulder. He didn't want to risk angering the judge any more.  
Gerald finished asking Cartman questions and moved on to Kenny. Like before, Cartman's lawyer complained, and, like before, the judge dismissed it.  
As soon as Kenny sat down, his heart began to race. His hands were sweaty, breathing was getting tougher, and his pupils contracted and dilated randomly. To keep himself calm, he looked at Kyle for an extended period of time, making the redhead blush.

"Kenny?" Gerald asked rhetorically. "Over here, buddy. Focus."  
"R-Right."  
"What is your relationship with Eric Cartman?"  
"He's a psycho."  
"I didn't ask what you thought of him; I asked what your relationship is like."  
"I used to consider him a bad friend."  
"And now?"  
"He's my blackmailer."  
"Please explain."  
"Your honor, this is all speculative." Cartman's lawyer said.  
"Is not testimony acceptable, if there is also accompanying evidence?"  
"What evidence could there be?"  
"If you'll just give me some leeway, I'll get to that."

The judge muttered to himself and denied Gerald the leeway he so desired. Gerald quickly changed tactics.

"Did you, in fact, intentionally assault Eric?"  
"...Yes."  
"But you only did so because he was blackmailing you?"  
"Well... The second time, yes."  
"Your honor!"  
"Mr. Broflovski, we had this discussion. Unless you have concrete evidence for this claim of 'blackmail', you are not to mention it."  
"Even if there is no evidence, shouldn't we at least hear Kenny's side of the story?"

The judge muttered to himself again, but, this time, he granted Gerald his request, who quickly thanked him.

"You said you hit him the second time because he was blackmailing you. And the first time?"  
"I had just been... rejected by someone."  
"What do you mean by 'rejected'?"  
"I told someone a long time ago that I liked them, and they denied liking me. For a long time, I kept showing them that I liked them, but then they told me to stop."  
"Who is 'they'?"  
"I... I-I can't say that."  
"Kenny, this is important. You **have** to tell me."  
"...Kyle Broflovski."

Silence filled the room. Gerald was unsure how to feel about the situation, but he tried to keep calm and act as professionally as possible.

"No more questions for this witness, your honor."

Cartman's lawyer didn't want to call Kyle to the stand, yet he knew that, if he didn't, Gerald would anyway.

"_At least this way I can throw Gerald off his game. I saw it in Kenny's eyes; his relationship with Kyle goes beyond friendship._"

"Your honor, the prosecution calls Kyle Broflovski to the stand."

"_Shit._" Kyle thought. "_I just hope he doesn't ask what I think he's gonna ask... I wanted to tell my dad, but not like this._"

Kyle's unspoken prayers went unheard. The very first question Cartman's lawyer asked made Kyle just as nervous as Kenny had been, if not more so. Unlike Kenny, though, looking at his counterpart didn't change anything.

"Tell me, Kyle, what is your relationship with the defendant?"  
"He's my... b... friend."  
"Is that so? Need I remind you that you **are** under oath?"  
"...He and I... He's my..."

Kyle and his father eyes' met. Gerald could tell what Kyle wanted to say, yet he denied it to himself, until Kyle actually said it.

"He's my boyfriend." Kyle sighed.

Gerald's eyes opened even more than the judge's. He looked at Kenny, then at Kyle. Even though he had just heard it, he couldn't believe it. He leaned close to Kenny and asked him to confirm Kyle's claim.

"It's true, sir..." Kenny whispered. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this."

Cartman's lawyer looked at Gerald and smirked. He had what he wanted.

"No further questions for this witness, your honor."

Gerald was stunned. His eyes were locked with Kyle's for a long time, until the judge intervened.

"Mr. Broflovski?"  
"Y-Yes?... Your honor?"  
"I assume you want to examine the witness?"  
"Y-Yeah... I-I mean, yes, sir."  
"Go on then. Don't keep us waiting."  
"Right..." Gerald said as he got up and approached the stand. "Um... What happened on the day you 'rejected' my defendant, as he put it?"  
"We went to Cartman's to play video games. Cartman... neglected to mention that one of the controllers was broken, so I tried to fix it in the tool shed. Cartman was there with me."  
"And then what?"  
"I asked Cartman to get the working controller so I could compare their insides, but it was Kenny who brought it. After I fixed it, I talked to Kenny. I told him I wanted his affection to stop, which made him cry. Then we all went back to the main house and played some video games. Cartman kept pushing Kenny, until Kenny finally snapped and knocked him unconscious."  
"How did you feel at the time?"  
"We were all scared, Kenny included... Well, all of us except Cartman, since he was knocked out."  
"I see... So, in a way, **you** were responsible for the first act of aggression, right?"  
"Um... Do I have to answer...?"  
"I meant that rhetorically. My point is that, at the time, my client was in a state of distress that was further emphasized by the accusing party's actions."  
"Your honor, whether my colleague's client was, in fact, under distress is not in question here. What is in question is his innocence or guilt."  
"Which, if he was under someone's influence, exonerates him."

"_I wonder what 'exonerate' means._" Kenny wondered.

The lawyers looked at the judge, who, hesitantly, intervened.

"I'll keep my thoughts private at this time, but I will take all facts into account in my decision."

After the judge heard all the evidence the lawyers had to offer, he closed his eyes, deep in thought.

"_Kenny hit Eric... Twice. Once to the point of knocking him out and breaking his nose, but without stopping; the second nearly to the point of breaking things other than his nose. However, he had been 'under distress', as Broflovski put it... Does that remove the guilt from him? If it's not his fault, Eric would be my second guess... However..._"

"I have made my decision."

Everyone quieted down to hear the judge's call.

"I find the defendant... guilty."

Cartman was ecstatic. He tried hard to contain his excitement, nearly letting out a cry of joy. Kenny and Kyle became concerned, but Gerald didn't seem worried.

"However, given the... unusual circumstances surrounding your case, I will go easy on you. Kenneth McCormick, you are to pay a fine of two hundred dollars, and will be spending one week in jail."  
"Your honor!" Cartman's lawyer yelled. "The defendant-"  
"Case dismissed!"

Kenny, Kyle, and Gerald cheered, while Cartman and his lawyer sighed in disbelief. Kenny recalled that there was no way he'd be able to pay the fine, but Kyle reminded him of a promise he had made.

"I told you I'd help with the fine, Kenny, and I meant it."  
"It's two hundred dollars! I can't ask you to pay."  
"You're not asking; I'm **telling** you I'll pay it."  
"OK... Relax."  
"Kyle..."  
"Yeah, dad?"  
"I'm not going to tell your mother what happened here, but we will be talking about it as soon as Kenny's out of jail, alright?"  
"Sure, dad... I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, though. I wanted to soften the blow with something, but now I guess I can't."  
"It's alright, Kyle... Let's just hope your mother doesn't freak out."

* * *

After Kenny got out of jail and Kyle payed the fine, both boys addressed Kyle's parents.

"Mom?"  
"Yes, Kyle?"  
"Kenny and I... have something to say."  
"What's that?"

Kyle reached for Kenny's hand and carefully stroked it, raising red flags to Sheila. Gerald was also uncomfortable with the situation, but he didn't let it show, for the boys' sake.

"We're dating."

Sheila burst into a fit of rage, sadness, disappointment, and disbelief. She kept asking what she had done wrong raising Kyle, which only served to make him feel bad. Kenny squeezed Kyle's hand gently every time he saw Kyle was feeling worse than usual due to his mother's words, which seemed to calm him down somewhat. Several minutes later, Sheila locked herself in her room, leaving Kenny and Kyle alone with Gerald.

"Well..." Gerald said hesitantly. "That was... unexpected."  
"Really?" Kenny asked rhetorically. "I thought it was pretty normal... At least normal for her."  
"What are you boys going to do now?"  
"Now we have a whole school to talk to."  
"Why don't we just show them?"  
"I'm sure Cartman already spilled all your secrets anyway... You OK with that?"  
"I don't think he did. After the beating I gave him, I think he'll stay quiet about what I told him... But... there's one secret I don't mind him telling everyone."  
"Let's get you home, Kenny. We'll talk again tomorrow. Remember to go to bed early so you're not late for school."  
"I'll meet you at the gate fifteen minutes before school starts. Promise."

* * *

The following morning, Kenny woke up even before his alarm went off. He was so excited that he had barely slept.

"_It's finally here! Today is the day Kyle and I tell everyone about us._"

Kenny rushed to the bathroom to shower and shave. He wanted to look his best, for Kyle's sake. While he showered, he began to have second thoughts about announcing his relationship.

"_What if nobody likes Kyle anymore? I don't mind if they don't like **me**, but Kyle's different... He needs people to like him._"

Suddenly, cold water began to spray on Kenny, surprising him and clearing his head.

"_No. Kyle said he's not as weak as me and Cartman think. He can handle it. Besides, this isn't the eighteenth century. People are more civilized than that... I should really get out of this freezing water._"

After a few minutes, Kenny was at the school gate, just like he had promised Kyle. At first, he thought Kyle either wasn't going to show up or was already inside, but a quick glance at his watch made him realize he was early.

"_First time for everything, I guess..._"

* * *

Kenny waited for a long time, until he saw Kyle's green hat from a distance.

"_I haven't seen that hat in a while... Usually Kyle has his gorgeous curly red hair for everyone to see._"

As soon as Kyle spotted Kenny, he ran as quickly as he could, closing the distance between them in a matter of seconds. He took a few deep breaths to recover his strength and finally spoke.

"Ready, Kenny?"  
"I... Are you sure you wanna do this?"  
"Of course... Aren't you?"  
"To be honest, I had second thoughts this morning... Now they're coming back... I'm not sure if telling everyone is the right course. It's not a big deal anymore. Why should we make it a big deal?"  
"It's not a matter of telling others, Kenny. It's a matter of being honest... to ourselves and to others."  
"I... I didn't see it like that."  
"Look, if you don't want to tell others, I'll understand. I can wait until you're ready."  
"Kyle, if **you're** sure, so am I."

Kenny stretched out his arm, and Kyle grabbed his hand.

"Let's do it." Kenny said.

The boys crossed the threshold, entering the school. They didn't know what awaited them; they just knew they would have each other to rely on.


End file.
